Faucet valve with noise reducing slots and blades in preclosing apertures

ABSTRACT

The mixing valve includes a fixed valve plate of hard material provided with passage openings communicating with two supply pipes, a plastic slide connected to a control mechanism and sliding against a control guide ring, and at least a movable disk of hard material fixed to the slide and having openings therethrough cooperating with the passage openings of the fixed plate so as to regulate the delivered water flow and the mixing ratio of the liquids fed in the faucet. The slide has a cavity where water is collected and at least an outlet opening facing the guide ring. The guide ring has a window facing the outlet opening of the slide and a section of slots and blades arranged like comb teeth. The slots extend themselves from the above-mentioned window toward a space surrounding the slide and communicating with a spout connection. The slots are positioned to be at least partially covered by the slide when the slide is next to the closed position by thus producing a total or partial closure device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a mixing valve and more particularly toa single handle mixing valve having a cartridge that houses the valvingelements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mixing valves are widely used for household and sanitary purposes forthe delivery of cold and hot water flowing from supply pipes. Commonly,these mixing valves include a fixed valve plate of hard material such asceramic or plastic having openings communicating with two supply pipes,a control mechanism, a slide operably connected to the controlmechanism, a guide ring placed above the slide, a space surrounding theslide that communicates with a spout outlet, and a movable valve plateof hard material fixed to the slide having its own openings selectivelyalignable with the openings of the fixed plate so as to regulate thedelivered flow rate and the mixing ratio of the liquids from the twosupply pipes. One such valve is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,403 issuedto Uhlmann on April 20, 1982 and is incorporated herein by reference.

In some cases, these mixing valves present the particular problem ofbeing noisy. Noise occurs when the passage of one flowing liquid is verythrottled. In such conditions, in fact, the flow, throttled among thesharp edges of the disks of hard material, attains great speed and canproduce cavitations by producing vibrations either directly or becauseof the impact of the flow against some faucet surfaces.

On the other hand, the application of the known preclosing devices makesthe construction more complicated and can bring about an excessivereduction of the water flow that the faucet can deliver. In some cases,operation of a faucet is improved by inserting into suitable positions,for example, inside the slide, some metal networks, such as screens.However, these screens have a limited effectiveness, reduce thedeliverable water flow, and moreover they suffer from occlusions easily,which further reduce the water flow.

What is needed is a particular structure suitable to reduce the noise ofa faucet of the considered type by forming a preclosing unit able tocontrol the flow and to decrease its vibrations when it is highlythrottled, without any appreciable influence on the faucet behavior whennon-throttled flows are delivered.

A structure is needed that has the above mentioned advantages which canbe industrially produced without any appreciable increase of theproduction costs.

A structure is also needed that, while maintaining the mentionedtechnical advantages, provide a considerable increase in the maximumwater flow of the faucet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a faucet mixing valve has a slidemember fixed to the movable valve plate. The slide has a water receivinghollow communicating with the openings through the movable plate and anoutlet opening through its upper surface leading to the guide ring. Theguide ring has an outlet opening in the slide, and a series of parallelthin slots separated by thin blades each extending from the abovementioned outlet area to the space around the slide. The blades andslots are arranged and in position to be at least partially covered orclosed by the slide when the slide is positioned to where the movableplate disk closes off or narrowly restricts the openings of the fixedplate.

The liquids flowing out of the openings of the movable plate flowthrough the slide hollow, being mixed in it, and then flow out of theslide through its outlet toward the slots and blades of the guide ring.The flow is directed through the slots and diverted 180° toward the areaaround the slide and then toward the spout connection. The thin bladesin the guide ring subdivide, regulate and silence the flow at all flowconditions. When the slide is shifted toward the off position, theblades and slots of the guide ring is partially or totally covered bythe slide blocking most communication to the area about the slide.Therefore, the mixed flow can be throttled by a very narrow passage thatis formed between the guide ring and the slide area about the slide.Eventually the narrow passage can be formed merely by the play betweenthe slide and the guide ring effectively reducing the flow and thevibrations.

The effect of the preclosure of the slide under the guide ring is tocreate a back pressure in the area where the throttled flow licks up atthe sharp edges of the plates of hard material. The back pressureeffectively opposes the rising of noise and cavitation or otherturbulence.

On the other hand, in case of a greater delivery, the restriction of theflow coming out of the slide hollow is highly decreased during itsdiversion. The diversion of flow occurs in a relatively wide cavitysection within the guide ring. As the slide is moved toward the fullopen position, the presence of the blades at the slide outlet does notsignificantly limit the flow delivered by the faucet because the totalcross-sectional area of the uncovered slots exposed to the area aboutthe slide is greatly increased effectively changing the narrow passageto a relatively unrestricting passage.

However, when it is necessary to increase the maximum possible flow, asecond outlet opening can be made in the slide and positioned under theside of the guide ring opposed to the side where the blades are located.The second outlet selectively aligns with a notch in the bottom of theguide ring that extends to its side. The second opening can bepositioned either to close in synchronism or not with closure of thefirst opening. The second slide opening can also be accessible only whenthere is the maximum flow desired. In this case, the second openingincreases the maximum deliverable water flow but it is shut off by theguide ring as soon as the slide is shifted away from the maximum flowposition so as not to disturb the operation of the blades and slots whenthe water flow is significantly throttled.

The notch of the guide ring can also include, if necessary, a range ofblades or other equivalent devices for quieting the flow. The controlslide and the guide ring can be produced from injection molded plastics;therefore, the production costs can be competitive with otherconventional faucets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side elevational and segmented view of a mixing valveaccording to the invention shown in the fully open position when thewater flow is delivered at its maximum;

FIG. 2 shows the control slide and the control ring seen from II--II inFIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows the same parts as FIG. 2 but when the water flow isintercepted by the control slide and control ring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a single handle faucet includes a replaceablecartridge fitted in a hollow body 1 provided with the inlet fittings 3(only one can be seen in the drawing) for the connection of two watersupply pipes, cold and hot, and provided with an annular space 2communicating with a connection spout 4. The body 1 is closed by cap 5which is in this case screwed into the body 1.

A replaceable cartridge is introduced into the cavity of the body andfixed in place by the cap 5 and containing the valve mechanism of thefaucet. The cartridge consists of a shell 6, having a fixed plate 7 ofhard material placed therein. The plate 7 has two passage inlets 7a(only one can be seen in the drawing) communicating with theirrespective inlet fittings 3. A movable plate 8 is slidably mounted onfixed plate 7. The movable plate 8 is made from hard material, such asceramic, and has two suitably shaped apertures 8a (only one can be seenin the drawing). The apertures 8a cooperate with the passage outlets 7aof the fixed plate 7, so as to regulate the delivered water flow and themixing ratio of the two liquids fed in the faucet through the inletfittings 3 as plate 8 slidably moves about on plate 7.

The movable plate 8 is then fixed to a slide member called a controlhead 9 which, through a raised portion 11, is guided into a diametralwindow 16 of a rotatable guide ring 15, commonly referred to as acontrol ring, rotatably mounted into the shell 6 of the cartridge. Theraised portion 11 of the head 9 has a flat recess where it engages a pin18 forming the second arm of a control lever 19 which has a ball 20 asfulcrum. The ball 20 is placed between the cap 5 and an internal halfbearing 21 forming a part of the shell 6 of the cartridge. The controlring 15 abuts against the inside surface of the internal half bearing 21and exerts onto the cap 5 the pressures driven onto it by the movableparts of the faucet. Some holding seals which are not indicated byreference numerals are placed properly positioned to stop any leakage.The above mentioned cartridge structure and seals are not substantiallydifferent from the known structure as described in U.S. Pat. No.4,325,403 to Uhlmann which is incorporated herein by reference.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the control head 9 has a box-like structurehaving at least an internal cavity 10 in communication with theapertures 8a of the movable plate 8 and, on the side abutting the ring15, it has a first outlet 12 and a second outlet 13 opposite the firstone. These outlets 12 and 13 have been represented extending themselveswithout interruption over the total width of the internal cavity 10 inhead 9, but they could be smaller or interrupted by strengtheningconnections such as ribs. The outlets 12 and 13 face a cavity of thering 15 formed by its diametral window 16. The cavity can beadvantageously made larger by an adjoining chamber 22 formed in the halfbearing 21. A plurality of parallel slots 14a in the surface of the ring15 that abuts the slide 9, extend from window 16 toward the annularspace 2 that communicates with the connection spout 4. A series ofcomb-like teeth blades 14 lie between these slots 14a. There arepreferably eight blades with nine slots about them. However, fewer slotsand blades can be functional. As few as four blades and five slots canbe used for adequate operation. The slots do not reach the side wall 15aof the control ring 15 but it stops at some distance from the side wall.These slots are located to be at least partially covered, or as shown inFIG. 3 completely hidden, by the head 9 before the head 9 reaches thecompletely off position.

On the opposing side of the ring from the blades 14, the lower surfaceof the ring 15 has a peripheral notch 17. Optional blades 14b and 14cshown in FIG. 3, similar to those blades 14 and slots 14a or some otherequivalent noise reducing devices can be installed therein.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 1, when the head 9 is in such a positionso that the movable plate 8 allows the delivery of the maximum waterflow, the first outlet 12 of the head 9 drives the mixed flow to thewindow 16 and chamber 22. From here, the flow passing into the slots 14abetween the blades 14, reaches the annular space 2 and the spoutconnection 4. In addition, the second outlet 13 of the head 9 is alignedunder the peripheral notch 17 of the ring 15; therefore, a portion ofthe mixed water flows therethrough toward the annular space 2. Theresistances opposed to the flow between the movable plate 8 and thespout connection 4 are significantly reduced and the maximum flow rateis increased.

As soon as the head 9 is shifted toward positions of partial throttling,the second outlet 13 is misaligned from the peripheral notch 17 of thering 15, and it does not allow the passage of a high flow rate any more.The outlet 13 and the notch 17 extend themselves a great deal incircumferential length and only slightly in radial dimension. They allowthe passage of a great quantity of water flow when aligned. However, aslight shifting of head 9 quickly reduces the alignment of outlet 13with notch 17 and throttles the passage of water therethrough. In theconditions of moderate flow, the mixed water flow passes through theopening 12 and is resisted in its 180° diversion by the passage into thewindow 16, chamber 22, and slots 14a among the blades 14. When the head9 approaches the condition of interception, it increasingly throttlesthe passage through slots 14a among the blades 14. The slots 14a andblades 14 provide for quieter flow in this condition.

The head 9 eventually closes off slots 14a as shown in FIG. 3. At thispoint, the flow (which has a very reduced rate because it is almostcompletely intercepted by the cooperation of the plates 7 and 8) canpass out of the cavity 10 of the slide 9 only through the play existingbetween the head and the control ring 15. The flow is therefore sloweddown very much and its noise is significantly reduced.

The head 9 and the control ring 15 are usually produced from injectionmolded plastics. The addition to the usual faucet parts foreseen by theinvention requires only a modification of the molds and does not causeany relevant increase of the production cost of the components. Thefaucet can comprise a cartridge or can be of a kind whose components aredirectly mounted in the body and its working devices can be of any knownkind. The fixed plate 7 and the movable plate 8 can also vary with theinlets and apertures being suitably shaped. The blades 14 (and similaroptional blades in the notch 17) can extend to the surface where theyabut against the head 9 or stop at a point slightly above head 9. Theblades 14 (and the optional blades in the notch 17) could be joinedtogether by lowered transversal baffles, thus defining stagnationcavities or they could be otherwise interrupted by then assuming abrush-like form. The second outlet 13 of the head and the peripheralnotch 17 of the control ring 15 can be arched about different radiicounterbalancing the effects of possible production imperfections.

Furthermore, the window formed in the head 9 could be subdivided intotwo parts or more for delaying mixing of the water until after flowingout of the head. Finally, although the main application field of theinvention relates to the mixing valves, the application to simplefaucets could be possible too.

Variations and modifications of the present invention are possiblewithout departing from the scope and spirit as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim:
 1. A faucet valve characterized by:a fixed valve seat meanshaving at least one passage opening in communication with at least onesupply line; a movable valve plate slidably mounted on said fixed valveseat means to selectively close or open said at least one passage; aslide member fixed to said movable valve plate having a cavity incommunication with said at least one passage when said valve plate ispositioned to open said at least one passage and an outlet from saidcavity; a control guide member for guiding said slide member and havinga window therein in communication with said outlet of said slide member;said window having a slotted section with alternating blades and slotspositioned sufficiently close together to reduce noise as liquid flowstherethrough and being positioned to be selectively intercepted by saidslide member to be substantially closed off by said slide member from anoutlet space exteriorly positioned from said slide member when saidslide member is positioned to move said valve plate to substantiallyclose off said at least one passage; and a control means for moving saidslide member.
 2. A faucet valve according to claim 1 furthercharacterized by:the slide member having a second outlet turned towardthe control guide member opposite the one having slots, the guide memberhaving a peripheral notch in selective communication with the secondoutlet when said slide member is positioned to substantially open saidat least one passage opening.
 3. A valve according to claim 2 whereinthe peripheral notch of the control guide member is provided with aseries of blades.
 4. A valve according to claim 1 wherein the bladesabut against the slide member.
 5. A valve according to claim 1 whereinthe blades extend near but are spaced from said slide member.
 6. A valveaccording to claim 2 wherein the second outlet of the slide member andthe peripheral notch of the guide member are arched and have differentradii.